An electronic device is proposed, having a shape similar to that of, for example, a memory card detachably provided in an information processing device, or a semiconductor memory device similar to this, and which is connected to a memory device or other connection portion of the information processing device to execute memory functions or other arbitrary functions. That is, by for example integrating this electronic device with memory functions or endowing the device with separate computer network connection functions or communication functions, the operation and application of the information processing device can be easily expanded.
Such electronic devices are based on, for example, an electronic device which executes memory functions previously proposed by this applicant, or which executes other arbitrary functions, and which employs serial transfer for input and output of data. On the other hand, in order to transfer larger amounts of data in shorter periods of time, there is a need to perform data input and output using parallel transfer. However, it is not easy for an electronic device based on serial transfer for the input and output of data to employ parallel transfer for data input and output.
In other words, the above-described electronic device is based on data input and output performed by serial transfer, and so in order to perform data input/output by parallel transfer, switching of internal circuitry or similar is necessary. Also, in the information processing device also, the mounted electronic device must be recognized and the internal circuitry switched. However, it is not easy to perform such identification and internal circuitry switching; and in conventional electronic devices and information processing devices, such identification and switching are not generally performed.
Further, an adapter device provided between the electronic device and the information processing device is implemented. In such an adapter device, a function is implemented to perform conversion between parallel transfer and serial transfer, between for example an electronic device and an information processing device. In such an adapter device also, it is necessary to stop conversion between parallel transfer and serial transfer and otherwise perform switching to accommodate, for example, the above-described electronic device which performs data input/output using parallel transfer; however, it is not easy to recognize an electronic device and perform switching, and in the prior art such identification and switching has not been implemented.
The present invention was devised in light of these points; as the problems to be solved thereby, it is not easy to perform identification of electronic devices and switching of internal circuitry, and in conventional electronic devices, information processing devices, adapter devices and information exchange systems, such identification and switching has not been implemented.